Rowell's Bridge #9

Clement Hill RoadHopkinton, NH

The bridge was built by Horace Childs of Henniker with the help of his brothers Enoch and Warren. The Burr type construction is unusual in that solid timber arches are fitted end to end and bolted to the side timbers to form the basic design. Most arches in other designs are laminated. A short time after it was constructed, a herd of cattle, driven faster than they should have been, moved the bridge off its abutments. The structure was brought back and securely fastened in place.

Year of Construction: - 1853

Original Cost: - $300.25

Location:North of N.H. Route 127 on Clement Hill Road over the Contoocook River in West Hopkinton.

Style-Characteristics:Combination of Long truss with Burr arches. The bridge is 164'6" long with a clear span of 153'6". It has an overall width of 21'1" with a roadway width of 14'9" and a maximum vertical clearance of 13'5". A pier was added in 1930 but the top of the pier was soon removed. The structure is posted for six tons.